I started combining recycling and weaving in the early 1970s. I was a new weaver and newly married. I studied weaving in college and became interested in recycling at the Spokane World's Fair in 1974 after seeing an exhibit on the environmental movement that was still in its infancy. My first recycled rug was made from a bag of brightly colored shirts purchased at a thrift store. sale for $1. Although it was an interesting mat, it convinced me of the need for quicker preparation methods. Throughout the 70's I tried to find new sources of weaving materials. This was before the Internet, and I copied pages from the Thomas Register at the library, hoping to find a factory that would sell me (or give me) something I could use. Even though I made many calls, most of the time they wouldn't even talk to me. My luck changed in the early 80's. There were several stores in Kentucky that sold bedding and sometimes offered rolls (end to end cuts) of fabric. The Louisville store was over a two hour drive from our house and we had to call early in the morning to see if any debris had gotten into the truck. Through this source, I acquired several hundred pounds of fabric that I still use. My adventure in rug weaving began when my in-laws came to visit me in 1983. I wanted a project that my mother-in-law and I could do together. and I warped my loom to make rugs. Friends who saw my first attempts at making rag rugs encouraged me to make more and my business was born. Around 1984, I talked to the back room supervisor at the Salvation Army in Evansville and asked him what happened to the ties that came through the stores but didn't make it. I don't sell. He said they had been thrown away, so I offered to buy some. He agreed to keep the links for me. When I went back to pick you up...... middle of paper...... a good reason to recycle. I feel like I've accomplished something when I remove a product from the waste stream and repurpose it into a functional rug or wall hanging. I don’t view it as trash…I view it as an opportunity to give it new life. My studio is open from March to December and visitors are always welcome. My website at www.homesteadweaver.com is open 24 hours a day. My email is [email protected] .Weaving is for me my ultimate form of expression. I can get lost in what I'm doing...time flies...I go into a "zone" and come out with a pretty finished piece. I love mixing colors and since I'm not a painter, weaving is my canvas. Weaving is my connection to history...to our ancestors who clothed their families...who took the sails of ships and made mops for their homes. in the New World. Weaving is my life.